Computer systems can benefit from the ability to directly boot from tape media devices for the purpose of system recovery or other system administration operations. However, many computer systems lack the ability to directly boot from tape media devices. This limitation has been handled through various workarounds. For example, one existing tape-based system recovery technique enables systems to be booted from digital versatile disk (DVD) media and recovered from tape media. Another tape-based system recovery technique stores a compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM) image on the tape and uses a tape drive to simulate a CD-ROM device during a system boot.
Modern computer systems often have the ability to run a number of different operating systems. The requirements of different operating systems and recovery applications place differing demands on the format of boot tapes. For example, some mainframe computers require boot tape formats with specific labeling while some mid-range servers do not allow tape labels. Similarly, some operating systems expect tape media to be labeled while other operating systems do not handle labeling well. Such variations increase the difficulty of managing boot tapes and recovery tapes in a data center tape library or filing system. Thus, systems and methods that enable direct tape booting while adapting to computer system and operating system differences are desirable. Also, systems and methods that are compatible with existing tape-based system recovery techniques such as those mentioned above are desirable.